Animal life in captivity

We very often met animals - representatives of wildlife - in our village and city. These are monkeys, a python and an iguana - circus artists who performed for the children of our school. This is a crocodile and a parrot, with whom everyone wanted to take a photo at the zoo, and the camel Masha, whom we fed at the Ecological and Biological Center. Animals are all different. Why are they kept in the circus or zoo? How did they end up in an unfamiliar environment? Questions like these prompted us to start researching this phenomenon in our city.

Man and animals. Their paths always crossed. Primitive man was wary of animals, but gradually he learned not to be afraid of them and now began to consider himself the “king of nature.” It is interesting to talk about this in the book <> Some animals were tamed by humans, and they became domesticated, i.e. dependent on him. This suited them, but without a person it would have been very bad for them. But how did wild animals, so proud and independent, end up under the influence of the “king of nature” in captivity? Why did the person deprive them of their freedom?

Answering these questions was the goal of our research. We conducted a survey of children of different ages, analyzing 48 questionnaires. It turned out that 16 respondents consider dogs and cats to be wild animals.

Ecological and biological center

During the excursion, we visited a small menagerie with a variety of animals (rabbits, parrots, spiders, fish, guinea pigs, turtles, a monkey and a small crocodile), and were able to feed a camel, donkey, ostrich, and horses. At the Favorit equestrian club of the ecological and biological center, we were told the life stories of many unique horses of this club.

The institution has a special place for a dog breeding center with enclosures. Having attended professional training at the service and decorative dog breeding club "Tref" we saw with our own eyes how dogs are trained. Here schoolchildren learn how to properly handle their own and "local" pets. Among them are several special dogs. For example, a German shepherd, which knows how to find drugs. Or a huge wolfhound <>, which helps guard the territory. Here the guys receive the basics of training, take part in international, regional and city exhibitions.

In the classrooms, children get to know their native land and study animals. There are land turtles, a monkey and even a python in the Center. In a separate "farmer's yard" lives a white camel "Masha" - a local landmark.

The real pride of the institution is the equestrian club "Show Jumping", where children get acquainted with horses, learn to care for them, gain riding skills, and prepare for various competitions. The upcoming races are at the Sabantuy holiday, which will take place in May. Recently, another foal was born at the facility - an object of childish delight.

In the center there is a farmstead with goats, rabbits, a donkey, a camel, and poultry. We were allowed to feed them, told in detail about their lives, how to care for them, and what to feed them. The center's workers spoke about the ostriches they bought from the Ostrich Farm farm. The birds got sick, and the owners decided to sell them. The workers, together with the children, took them out, carefully looking after them. Now they delight both owners and visitors.

We also visited an exhibition hall with a collection of 25 species of ornamental birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles and insects. There we saw budgerigars (30-40 individuals), canaries, a seriously wounded waxwing and a bunting with a broken leg.

The center's workers told how these birds came to them. For example, the children brought a waxwing with a broken wing, but the bunting with a broken leg could barely get out. When the parrots began to reproduce, the center’s employees sold them to everyone for a low price. In the wildlife department we saw turtles, a rabbit, a baby squirrel, a chipmunk, guinea pigs, and a newt. The mother threw the squirrel out of the nest, and the children found her and brought her to the center. The chipmunk fell into a trap and barely survived. Now his home is here. Animals are fed the food they can find in nature.

There are no veterinarians on staff; they handle it themselves, but if surgery is needed, they take them to the clinic.